AGP Executive Report

AI & Books: Tech giants are reportedly buying rare print books, scanning them, then shredding them to train chatbots and avoid “AI slop,” reigniting fears for libraries and collectors. Publishing Policy: The Trump administration is scrutinizing the American Medical Association’s control of CPT medical billing codes, with CMS asking whether the AMA’s “monopoly” distorts physician payment policy. Book Culture & Community: Newcastle’s romance-only shop The Sinful Spine drew huge queues—people traveled for miles and waited up to two hours—showing genre bookstores can still turn into local events. Literary Awards: Stephen Colbert is set to receive an anti-censorship American Book Award, alongside Books & Books founder Mitchell Kaplan. Kids’ Reading & History: A new picture book spotlights Kentucky’s Packhorse Librarians, while another bookstore owner argues the “age of reading” is far from over. Classics Buzz: The Odyssey debate keeps driving print demand and fresh criticism around translations and film adaptations.

AI & Books Under Fire: Multiple reports and commentary this week argue AI firms are buying and destroying rare printed titles to train models, raising fresh questions about copyright, access, and what “reading” means when physical books are treated as raw material. Classics in the Spotlight: Joyce Carol Oates publicly clashes with translator Emily Wilson over criticism of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, keeping the debate about translation, interpretation, and who gets to “own” Homer front and center. Reading Access, Real-World: A refurbished school library in Gateshead officially opens under the National Year of Reading, with new books donated—while a Wrexham project recruits student “Accessibility Ambassadors” to audit and improve inclusion. Publishing & Community Moves: UT Press launches its first children’s picture book, My Magic Tux, and Las Vegas’ first Black-owned bookstore, R.D. Talley Books, reopens at a new location inside Fashion Show Mall. Children’s Books Buzz: Indie and children’s lists highlight new picture books and summer reads, including a dragon-and-baking themed title and more family-friendly releases.

AI & Books Under Fire: Tech firms are reportedly buying and destroying printed books to train AI, reigniting fears of cultural loss and copyright fallout. Publishing & Adaptations: Tradwife titles are surging in bookstores, with Caro Claire Burke’s “Yesteryear” driving the trend and landing a major film push. Classics in the Spotlight: Emily Wilson’s translation of “The Odyssey” keeps fueling debate, as critics and filmmakers clash over what the story should sound like and mean. Libraries & Access: Alaska schools and libraries face uncertainty as the FCC weighs changes to E-Rate internet subsidies. Community Reading: Barack Obama shared his 2026 summer reading list (11 picks) and invited readers to start at the Obama Presidential Center. Literary Culture Abroad: West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari welcomed Taslima Nasrin back to Kolkata, pledging her safety amid past threats. New Releases & Niche Reads: “The Book of Birds” spotlights wonder and loss for readers who love nature writing, while “King Arthur” reframes the legend through medieval texts and modern scholarship.

AI & Books Under Fire: Reports say AI firms are buying and destroying millions of used books to train models, raising fresh alarms about copyright and what readers will lose. Library Mysteries: An Australian library got back a rare 1858 antiquities volume after nearly 150 years—hidden in a sealed fireplace—along with an overdue fine estimate of AU$28,000. Author & Publishing News: Latter-day Saint author-poet Carol Lynn Pearson, who wrote 40+ books and plays, died at 86. Reading for Families: Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl returns as a 25-year celebration, positioning the antihero series as a modern summer pick. Culture & Debate: A row over J.K. Rowling’s Beira’s Place and Amnesty’s “anti-rights” framing ended with a retraction and apology. Self-Publishing Spotlight: MindStir Media topped new industry rankings for 2026, touting full-service support for indie authors. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters is expanding into graphic and children’s novels via Random House.

Publishing & Adaptations: Apple is developing a TV series based on Colson Whitehead’s “Harlem” trilogy, with Graham Yost and Barry Jenkins attached, bringing “Harlem Shuffle,” “Crook Manifesto,” and “Cool Machine” to the screen. Gaming & Tabletop: Paizo used Gen Con to confirm 2027 Pathfinder Second Edition releases, including a crossover adventure path that lets Pathfinder and Starfinder rules be used together at one table. Libraries & Community Reading: Shreve Memorial Library’s “Plant a Seed, Read!” summer program is in its final week, while Kiama Library in Australia received a 150-years-overdue book—“Antiquities of Athens”—found bricked behind a sealed fireplace. Manga Licensing: Manga Mavericks Books licensed “Oni King” and “Royd,” launching digitally in December 2026. AI & Books: Multiple reports keep spotlighting AI firms scanning and destroying print books to train models, raising fresh concerns for publishers and readers. Book Buzz: Barack Obama’s summer reading list highlights fiction picks including Tayari Jones’s “Kin” and Elizabeth Strout’s “The Things We Never Say.”

AI & Books Under Fire: A Dutch antiquarian bookseller dismissed a “3,000 ISBN” request as spam—only to learn it was tied to AI firms scanning and destroying books for training data, raising fresh alarms for publishers and rare-title holders. Academic Freedom Debate: The AAUP’s first-ever political endorsement for a U.S. Senate candidate sparked backlash over “neutrality,” with supporters arguing it’s about defending academic freedom. Writing Craft Spotlight: A new column urges readers to keep Strunk & White close—literally—pushing back on jargon and sloppy prose. Publishing & Design Industry: A’ Design Award announced entries for its 2026 Digital Product Design Awards, signaling continued growth where tech, UX, and publishing-adjacent creativity overlap. Community & Retail: Cape Cod’s Market Street Bookshop changed hands, while Pittsburgh’s romance bookstores keep proving “third place” demand is real. Library Mystery: An 1858 Greek antiquities book resurfaced in Australia after ~150 years, found bricked into a fireplace.

Bookstore Openings: Barnes & Noble is relocating and reopening in Livingston, NJ on Aug. 5, expanding to 25,000 sq. ft. with a café and events. Major Literary Honors: The Center for Fiction named Julia Alvarez its 2026 Lifetime of Excellence in Fiction award (Dec. 8 benefit). Book Prizes: The Booker Prize 2026 longlist was unveiled, and the Cundill History Prize added Canadian authors Jonathan Cheng and Eric T. Jennings to its 15-book longlist. Publishing & Culture: Northshire Bookstore marks 50 years with a two-location celebration in August. AI and Books Under Pressure: Multiple reports say AI firms are buying used books via middlemen and destroying them after scanning for training data. Community Reading & Democracy: Moab’s “Voices and Votes” Smithsonian exhibit runs through Aug. 7, with residents’ recorded stories and write-ins. Local Governance: North Wales council adopted an updated zoning code after years without revisions. Author News: Benjamin Alire Sáenz, beloved for Aristotle and Dante, died at 71 after a lengthy illness.

Book Industry Watch: The Booker Prize 2026 longlist is out, with Turkish-American debut novelist Kenan Orhan joining big names like Elizabeth Strout and Marlon James; judges will cut to a six-book shortlist in September. Reading Culture: A new debate asks whether the Booker still matters as UK reading habits slide, citing low regular readership and weaker literacy among some adults. Pop-Culture Spillover: Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is driving a major UK sales surge for Homer and modern translations, including Emily Wilson’s version. Local Publishing & Libraries: Bar Harbor’s Jesup Memorial Library opens a $10.7M wing to modernize services, while Moray libraries share their most-borrowed titles for the National Year of Reading. Author News: Margaret Hickey releases Cold River; Benjamin Alire Sáenz dies at 71, remembered for Aristotle and Dante and a final novel, When the World was Happy. AI & Books: Ongoing backlash continues over claims that AI firms have been buying and destroying books to train models.

Publishing & Books in Motion: Italian author Gastone Berardi says his “bullet thriller” push is scaling fast, with 7 original novels translated into 7 languages to build a 49-book global ecosystem. Book-to-Screen: Brandon Sanderson says he’s finished a screenplay draft for Apple TV’s “Mistborn” movie, moving the adaptation closer to production. AI & Reading: Researchers unveiled CapuchinAI, an open-source field system that automates cognitive testing of wild capuchin monkeys using facial recognition and touchscreen tasks. Libraries & Community: LA County Library marks the Chicano Resource Center’s 50th anniversary with “Latinidad LA,” while Red Rocks State Historic Site rolls out late-summer family programs and storytime. Religion & Interpretation: Rabbi Caryn Broitman’s upcoming book, “The Torah is an Open Book,” argues for radically interpretive Torah reading as an ongoing practice. Sports & Culture: Fanatics plans to expand into CFTC-regulated prediction markets by acquiring Water Street Labs and CX Clearinghouse.

Booker Prize 2026: The longlist is out with 13 novels, including Douglas Stuart, Marlon James and Elizabeth Strout, plus new names like Rebecca Perry and Kenan Orhan; the shortlist lands Sept. 22 and the winner is announced Nov. 9. AI & reading: Multiple reports spotlight how AI is creeping into books and classrooms—everything from tools that let readers “chat with books” to concerns that students are offloading reading and thinking to chatbots. Publishing rights & AI training: A major copyright settlement involving Anthropic is moving forward, while other coverage warns about AI firms buying and destroying books to train models. Literary events: Exclusive Books hosts Imraan Buccus for Promises and Peril, and a community festival in Thibodaux pushes literacy with local authors plus an AI read-aloud app. Community libraries: Qatar’s National Library launches a summer membership push, and Wisconsin groups mark the ADA anniversary with local accessibility resources. Notable deaths: Japanese mystery master Keigo Higashino dies at 68. Local book life: Wick’s survey backs reusing the old Woolworths as a mixed market and community space.

Literary Spotlight: Translator Emily Wilson, whose “Odyssey” version inspired Christopher Nolan, has blasted his film adaptation as “abysmal,” reigniting debate over how classics should be translated and adapted. Book Culture & Events: Center Stage Theatre is staging “The Lightning Thief” (Percy Jackson) at the Tamaqua Arts Center, bringing Rick Riordan’s bestseller to the stage for a new wave of readers. Local Reading Life: Loganberry Books’ Author Alley returns with nearly 70 writers, plus a reception with live music and author games—free and built for discovery. Publishing & Access: Ukraine has restricted access to two online bookstores selling banned Russian titles after owners ignored removal warnings, raising questions about enforcement. Community & Learning: Malaysia’s Selangor Children’s Literature Festival (Aug. 28–31) targets gadget addiction by pairing reading with interactive, culture-themed activities. True Crime Books: “Killing Henrietta” revisits a long-ignored Leonardtown murder, arguing police concealment kept the case out of public memory. Book Industry & Tech: Google Cloud and Manipal Hospitals expand GenAI to streamline nurse handoffs, cutting shift-change summaries from ~90 minutes to ~20.

Publishing & AI: KDDI launched Buffmee, an AI service built on licensed content from about 150 books, magazines, and specialist web media, offering search, summaries, and interactive features with citations. Literary Culture Clash: Classicist Emily Wilson—whose Homer translations inspired Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey—published a scathing London Review of Books takedown, calling the film’s writing “abysmal” and its characters underdeveloped. Author News: Japanese mystery titan Keigo Higashino died at 68 after colon cancer, leaving a global legacy of bestsellers and adaptations. Book Launches: Bisleri International and India’s National Book Trust rolled out a multilingual children’s comic, Chhota Bheem & Vidya - Big Green Mission, at the Chinar Book Festival, distributing 20,000 copies in schools. Community Reading: A Liberian author donated copies of his new book on governance and corruption to the National Library of Liberia to spur wider public discussion. New Fiction: Jeanetta Britt announced The Twin Series, a faith-based companion duo blending family drama, suspense, and redemption.

Awards & Comics: Canadian writer Mariko Tamaki won two Eisner Awards for YA graphic novel This Place Kills Me, taking best writer and best publication for teens. Censorship Watch: A Middle Tennessee library says social media claims about book challenges are false, noting no formal challenges since Aug. 2025. School Book Bans: Tennessee’s wider debate over age-appropriate materials continues, with readers tracking which popular titles are missing from some districts. Publishing Policy: Ukraine’s PM Serhiy Koretsky ordered a mechanism for state support of the book publishing industry as Russia destroys copies and printing capacity. AI & Copyright: A $1.5B Anthropic settlement over books used to train AI got final approval, with authors describing the personal hit of seeing their work included. Literary Landmarks: Ursula K. Le Guin’s Portland home was added to the National Register of Historic Places. New Releases: Palmetto Publishing released Skip Van Gardner’s debut memoir-novel Pivoting From Blue. Author Spotlight: Nicole Paquin launched historical fantasy Kate: The Secrets Within the Walls.

Local Library Programming: Brynteg and Ruabon libraries are rolling out free summer kids’ clubs and activities, from Lego and crafts to board games and silent reading groups. Author Spotlight: Laurie Frankel brings her bestseller Enormous Wings to Stillwater Public Library for Literature Lovers’ Night Out, with Valley Bookseller on hand. Book Culture & Community: Helsinki’s Oodi Library is profiled as more than books—Helsinki’s “public living room” for work, play, and makers. Children’s Publishing: Seven children’s storybooks were launched in Kathmandu under the Aparajita Story Project, while a UK airport-backed push urges families to swap “productivity” for reading-for-fun “pagecation.” Reading Tech: New AI tools let readers ask questions about the book they’re reading, with similar features emerging from startups and Audible. Publishing & Events: The San Francisco Art Book Fair drew 30,000+ visitors and highlights the growing ecosystem of independent book sellers and publishers. Legal/Policy: New student loan rules warn families about Parent PLUS changes and future limits on income-driven repayment.

Publishing & Archives: Yale’s Beinecke Library materials help Mark Oppenheimer craft Judy Blume: A Life, revisiting how the 88-year-old author’s books—Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, and the “Fudge” series—reshaped children’s and YA reading. Comics & Collecting: Marvel Masterworks is set to return in hardcover form via Clover Press and a new Kickstarter, aiming to preserve legacy numbering and finish runs Marvel left on hiatus. Censorship Watch: The Ninth Circuit upheld Oregon’s ban on a Christian employee displaying children’s books in a public school office that conflict with school ideology. New Releases: Lakshmi Murdeshwar-Puri’s debut Swallowing the Sun lands in the Midwest via Pippa Rann Books. Book Trade & Industry: Ukraine says Russian attacks have destroyed 1.5 million books since early July, including burned textbooks and publishing losses. Bookstores & Community: New Zealand Booksellers Awards crowned Schrödinger’s Books (best bookstore) and Allen & Unwin (best publisher), with Jacinda Ardern’s memoir A Different Kind of Power taking top honors. Kids & Picture Books: Local author Rachel Clarke debuts her first children’s picture book, A Touch of the Goes. Media Adaptations: Prime Video teased its October 7 series adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie, expanding the 1974 novel into eight episodes. Extreme Horror Trend: A roundup highlights why “extreme horror” is booming—and which titles even hardcore readers struggle to finish.

Publishing & AI Fraud: A New York Times investigation sparked a real-world Amazon hunt, with a reviewer saying AI-written biographies can look “normal” (covers, blurbs, ratings) until you dig in—raising fresh alarms for readers and booksellers. Copyright & Lawsuits: A judge approved a major Anthropic settlement over books used to train Claude, keeping the spotlight on how AI firms source and reuse publishing content. Comics & Awards: Eisner/Harvey recognition continues to roll in, including a Bengali digital comic nomination for Charbak Dipta’s The World of Lublu. Local Book Culture: Hay-on-Wye’s independent shop scene is credited for keeping the town thriving beyond festival season. Book-to-Screen: The BBC’s The Rapture adaptation changes the novel’s ending focus, shifting from a big disaster to a more personal mystery. Community Reading Events: Beirut Arab International Book Fair registration is now open, with booth rules tied to legal publishing and IP compliance. Author Spotlight: Max Porter discusses fiction and collaboration in a behind-the-scenes chat, reflecting the messy reality of writing life.